County facing slow economic recovery

Christopher Thornberg, a founding partner with Beacon economics, and Brad Kemp, Beacon's director of regional research, offered their observations at Tuesday's 2011 "What's Next LA?" forum in downtown Los Angeles.

The event, at the The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, provided an update on the economic climate of the nation, state and county. It also featured a panel discussion of entrepreneurialism and California's competitive future.

"I have been a little optimistic lately ... and that's a relatively new thing for me," Thornberg admitted. "Despite the current slow growth, the underlying trends are good."

On a macro level, Thornberg noted that the nation's banking system is stabilizing and that equity markets have recovered to pre-recession levels.

"We lost about 260 to 270 banks, but I really expected it to be about 1,500," he said.

Export growth at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach has likewise ramped up at a rapid pace, Thornberg said.

Figures in the Beacon report show that the Port of Los Angeles exported $33.76 billion worth of goods in 2010, up from $28.02 billion the year before.

The Port of Long Beach exported $31.79 billion in merchandise last year compared with $24.21 in 2009.

Still, there are challenges.

Thornberg said the state's housing inventory is thin and that homeowners have little equity in their properties as a result of plummeting prices.

Figures released earlier this month by the Federal Reserve reveal that the average homeowner now has 38 percent equity, down from from 61 percent a decade ago.

"That's what's keeping California's housing market from moving forward," Thornberg said. "The cost of housing is our biggest impediment to growth. In Texas, permitting costs are low, but in California it's $110,000 to $120,000 just to a prep a lot."

Kemp said Los Angeles County businesses remain "reasonably cautious" in regard to hiring.

"Employers are focused on further efficiencies," he said. "Labor growth is on hold until maximum efficiency has been reached."

Job growth is under way, the pair said, but at an anemic pace. Last year, county employment grew by only 7,100 jobs, according to the Beacon report.

Manufacturing output in L.A.

Gear Up for All Things Anime – Anime Expo 2011 Returns to L.A. in ...

The Mother of all Anime Expos hits Los Angeles like Godzilla descending upon Tokyo beginning this weekend. If you’re in L.A. July 1 – 4, hit the Los Angeles Convention Center, NOKIA Theatre and Club Nokia for one of the largest displays of anime comics, merchandise and live tactical reanimation of favorite characters such as Naruto, Digimon and maybe even Astro Boy .

Additionally, expo-goers can become one with the action through costume roll-play, karaoke, non-stop kick ass gaming and video competitions.

Like previous years, attendees can participate in the highly addictive, “Masquerade” where fans can become their favorite anime character through inventive costuming, make-up and accessories. The fun doesn’t stop there–players perform their own show in front of thousands.

Promoters urge convention-goers to plan ahead as more than 100,000 people are expected to attend. Anime Expo celebrates nearly 20 years of delivering famous anime, manga and musical artists from Japan to US fans. Tickets will run you about $75 for the weekend, $45 if you plan to attend one day only–but why would you possibly do that?

Who To Catch (in Addition to Pokémon) at the Expo

Anime Expo recently announced that Tetsuro Araki, Masayoshi Tanaka and Kentaro Hashimoto of Madhouse Studios will be the Guests of Honor. The critically acclaimed group of artists will present a special screening of “High School of the Dead” during the convention. Mr. Tanaka animated popular series such as “X”, “CHOBITS” and “Honey and Clover.”

Music to your ears includes acts such as Kalafina, Maon Kurosaki and NIRGILS–Japanese pop and techno musicians who will be performing throughout the weekend.

You may recognize these voices milling throughout the expo too: • Toshiyuki Morikawa: Charlie (Nash) in Street Fighter Alpha and Hon-Fu in Real Bout Fatal Fury

Big-time anime producers, directors and video game designers will be floating around such as Hiroyuki Birukawa, Koichi Chigira, Hiroyuki Ito and Sohei Niikawa–you never know whose brain you may be able to pick.

Conclusion

If you are reading this blog now, you’d better act fast if you don’t want to miss a gathering of a lifetime. Check with local hotels before flying into town. The Los Angeles Convention and Visitor’s Bureau suggests a variety of properties including Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, Figueroa Hotel, JW Marriott Hotel, Hilton Checkers Los Angeles, Kawada Hotel, The Los Angeles Athletic Club, Luxe City Center, Marriott Los Angeles Downtown, the Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles, Omni Los Angeles Hotel, Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown, and Wilshire Grand Hotel Los Angeles.

The postmodern presence, readings on postmodernism in American culture and society

Travel Los Angeles for Smartphones and Mobile Devices - City Guide and Maps

John Portman, art and architecture

The Internship Bible, 10th Edition

Engagement and indifference, Beckett and the political